Machine for treating hides or skins



N M d 1. 0 e W. EVANS.

MACHINE POR TRBATING HIDES OR SKINS.

No. 484,147. Patented Oct. 11, 1892.

Wir/v5: ases.'

"UNiTEn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

vWILLIAM EVANS, 0E PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

MACHINE FOR TREATING HIDES OR SKINS.`

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 484,147, dated October 11, 1892.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM EVANS, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Treating Hides or Skins, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improved niachine for lieshing, scudding, cleansingstrik ing out, slicking, skiving, frizzing, unhairing, laying out hides, skins, or leather in which use is made of a cutter or hide-dressing cylinder, a feed-apron or endless band audits complemental guide-rolls, a work-roller intermediate'of said guide-rolls for conducting the feed-apron or band into proximity with the cutter or hide-dressing cylinder, and a pressure-roll for guiding the feed-apron away from the cutter or hide-dressing cylinder.

The principal objects of my present invention are, first, to avoid the formation of ridges or cutter-marks upon the surfaceof the hide or skin; second, to present the hide or skin to the knives or cutters of the hide-dressing cylinder in such manner that su fficient clearance is afforded without filing off the rear edges of the cutters third, to simplify the construction, enhance theeficiency, and increase the output of the machine; fourth, to provide means that may be readily brought into operative position for sharpening or otherwise A grinding the cutter or hide-dressing cylinder,

and, fifth, to provide a removable housing for normally inclosing or concealing the cutter or hide-dressing cylinder. y

My invention, stated in general tei-ms, comprises a machine of the type recited having appliances for shifting the axis of the Workroller both horizontally and vertically in respect to the axis of the cutter or hide-dressing cylinder with or without a pressure-roll susceptible of radial adjustment in respect to the axis of the work-roller.

My invention further comprises a machine for treating hides or skins, provided with a hide-dressin g cylinder, a feed-apron, and rolls fordeflecting the feed-apron from the axis of the cylinder to afford clearance for the cutting edges or blades thereof.

My invention further comprises the 1m- Application filed June 16,1892. Serial No. 436,897. (No model.)

provements in. machines for treating hides or skins, hereinafter described and claimed.

The nature, scope, and general characteris-v tic features of my invention will be more fully understood from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming part hereof, and in Which- Figure 1 is a View, partly in side elevation and partly in section, of a inacliine'for treating hides or skins embodying features of my invention. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same, and Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the deflection of the feed-apron and the clearance afforded the knives oi' cutters of the cutter or hide-dressing cylinder.

In the drawings, a is the main frame of the machine.

b is a cutter or hide-dressingcylinder preferably mounted at the top of the main frame and journaled in boxes b', that are susceptible of being adjusted in a vertical direction through the slots or ways b2 by means of handscrews b3. y

c is a housing adapted to normally cover and conceal the cutter or hide-dressing cylinder b. In the present instance this housing c is adapted to be turned about a suitable hinge or joint c (toward the left in Fig. l) into position for exposing the cutter orhide-dressing cylinder.

d is agrinder journaled in twin rocker-arms pivotally connected with the opposite sides of the main frame aand adapted to be swung into position for sharpening the cuttingedges of the hide-dressing cylinder b after the latter has been uncovered by the removal of the housing c.

d are sectors and coinpleinental.set-screws for maintaining the grinder d in operative position.

e is an endless belt or feed-apron adapted' to travel around guide-rolls f and f. The guide-rollf is journaled in suitable brackets or boxes f2, carried by the main frame a., and the guide-roll j" is j ournaled in suitable blocks fworking in ways f4, cut or otherwise formed .in the opposite sides of the main frame a.

f5 are hand-screws for shifting the blocks f3 in a horizontal direction in order to tighten or loosen the belt or api'on e, as may be required.

IOO

g is a positively-driven counter-shaft provided with two sets g and g2 of complemental fast and loose pulleys for impartingv rotary motion to the grinder OZ and guide-roll f through the intervention of suitable belts g3 and g4 and of two sets g5 and g of complemental fast and loose pulleys applied to the axes of the guide-roll and of the grinder cZ. The counter-shaft g and the axis of the cutter' or hide-dressing cylinder b are respectively provided with two fast pulleys and one loose pulley intermediate of the fast pulleys,where by rotarymotion inY one direction may beimparted to the hide-dressing cylinder Z9 through the intervention of a belt Zt and'in a reverse direction through the intervention of a crossed belt h for purposes hereinafter explained.

Z is a Work-roll 'journaled at its opposite extremities in j ournal-'boxes 'Z' that are afforded a range of vertical adjustment in ways 2, formed in blocks t3, that are afforded a range of travel in a horizontal direction through guides i4, formed in the main frame a, so that the axis of the work-roll i is susceptible of both a horizontal and a vertical adjustment for purposes to be presently described.

j is a pedal-lever frame pivotally connected with the opposite sides of the main frame CZ and adapted to shift the boxes 'Z' upward or downward through the intervention of links j', that are connected at the lower extremities thereof with the pedal-lever frame. The up; per extremities of these links work in slots j? in the main frame a and in the blocks 'Z4 and are adapted to engage the boxes t", the object being to afford the blocks t4 a range of play in a horizontal direction.

k are hand-screws engaging suitable tapped apertures Za in the main frame ct and connected with the blocks Z4 by means of swivel connections k2, so that the rotation of these hand -screws effect the adjustment` of the boxes t" and blocks 4 ina horizontal direction-g Z is a pressure-roll journaled at its opposite extremities in journal-boxes Z', that are afforded a range of adjustment in ways Z2, cut or otherwise formed in the main frame a and disposed radially, or substantially so, in respect to the axis of the work-roll t'.

Z3 are hand-screws for adjusting the journal-boxes Z. The peculiar relative adjustments of the work-roll t' and pressure-roll Z in respect to the operative portions or blades of the hidedressing cylinder b are important, because they enable the flesh and hair sides of a hide or skin to be finished perfectly smooth and even and free from cutter marks or ridges. The disposition of the rolls 'Z and Z in respect to the periphery of the cutter or hide-dressing cylinder constitutes a material part of my invention and is productive. of beneficial results, because the roll 't' serves to lead the feed-apron e into position for presenting the hide or skin to the cutting-edges, Fig. 3, ofai hide-dressing cylinder ZJ and enabling the l cutters to be sharpened by means of the grinding-wheel d.

In use the cutter or hide-dressing cylinder b and guide-roll f are caused to rotate in the direction indicated by the arrows in Fig. 1 through the instrumentality Qf the belts Z1, and g4 and their complemental pulleys, and the rotary motionvof the guide-roll f causes the feed-apron e to travel in the direction indicated by the arrow. A hide or skin is then placed upon the feed-apron e and by it carried into range of the operative edges a; of the knives or cutters of the hide-dressing cylinder b and then out of range of the same, as shown in Fig. 3, so that a portion of the surface of the hide or skin is removed or cut away and a sufficient clearance is afforded, as at for insuring the successful operation of the knives or cutters of the cylinder b. Of course the depth of the cut effected by the hide-dressing cylinder Z9, will be subject to the control of the attendant in charge. This result is accomplished in the hereinabove-described machine by means of the pedal-frame j, that serves to shift the work-roll t' upward or downward, thus causing the apron e to carry the hide nearer to or farther away from the center of the hidedressing cylinder b, with the result that the depth of the cut effected by the latter is increased or diminished, as required.

The smoothness or evenness of the surface of the hide or skin after it has been operated upon by the hide-dressing cylinder b in the manner above described depends upon the distance that it. traverses in range of the cutting or knife edges of the cylinder b and also upon the direction and extent of its travel in respect t0 the periphery of the cylinder b. In the hereinabove-described machine the apron may be caused to conduct the hide into range of the cylinder b at any required point and to maintain the same in vrange of the cylinder for any required time or distance within the limits of adjustment of the machine by shiftingthe work-roller vl in a horizontal direction and the pressure-roller Z in radial direction in respect to the axis of the workrolleri through the intervention of the handscrews Z3 and Za. By these means the course or direction of travel of the apron e may be varied or adjusted in order to causethe hides or skins to be presented to the hide-dressing cylinder in the most advantageous position for affording sufficient clearance for the knives or cutters of the cylinder and for securing a clean drawing cut or stroke of the latter, whereby the filing off of the cutters is IOO IIO

obviated and the production of a smooth even surface of the hide or skin free from cutter marks or ridges is insured.

The rear edges of the cutters or knives of the hide-dressing cylinder need not be cut away, because suicient clearance, as at ,is afforded by reason of the deflection of the feed-apron, (shown at 003 in Fig. 3,) so that the cutting-edges of thecutter or blades may be sharpened in the following manner and without the use of files and other similar tools: The housing c is turned toward the left into position for exposing the hide-dressing cylinderb and the grinder d is sw-ung toward theleft and adj usted into operative position by means of the sector and its complemental set-screws, whereupon the grinder is caused to revolve in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1,and the hide-dressing cylinder is caused to revolve in a reverse direction through the instrumentality of the crossed belt h', with the result that the cutters or operative edges of the hide-dressing cylinder are sharpened and ground.

Having thus described the nature and objects ot' my invention, what I claim asy new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. A machine for treating hides orskins, provided with a hide-dressing cylinder, a feedapron and its complemental guide-rolls, a work-roll disposed intermediate of the guiderolls and afforded a range of horizontal and vertical adjustment in respect to the axis of the hide-dressing-cylinder, a pressure-roll susceptible of radial adjustment in respectto the axis of the work-roll, and means for shifting said work and pressure rolls, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. In a machine for treating hides or skins, a hide-dressing` cylinder, a feed-apron, a vertically and horizontally adjustable Work-roll, and a pressure-roll susceptible of adjustment with respect to the Work-roll and to deflect the feed-apron from the hide-dressingcylinder, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. In a machine for treating hides or skins, a hide-dressing cylinder, a feed-apron, a roll for conducting the apron into proximity to the cutting-edges of the cylinder, and a roll for defiecting the apron from the axis of the cylinder to afford clearance to said cutting-edges, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4. In a machine for treating hides or skins, a hide-dressing cylinder, and a feed-apron for conducting the work into range of the cutting-edges of the knives or cutters of the cylinder and out of range of the rear edges of the knives or cutters of the cylinders, substantially as shown, and for the purposes set forth.

5. A machine for treating hides orv skins, provided with a hide-dressin g cylinder, a feedapron, and means for deflecting the feed-apron from the axis'of the cylinder to aord clear.- ance for the cutting edges or blades thereof, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

6. A machine for treating hides or skins, provided with a hide-dressing cylinder, a feedapron, and means susceptible of vertical Aand horizontal adjustment for bringing said apron intol proximity to and away from the knives or cutters of said cylinder, substantially as and for the purposes set-forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my signature in the presence oftWo subscribi g witnesses. Y

- WILLIAM EVANS.

Witnesses THoMAs M. SMITH, RICHARD C. MAXWELL.v 

